Folding camera.



F. G. HESSE.

FOLDING CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.13, 1913.

Patented J an. 5, 1915.

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F. C. HESSE.

FOLDING CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED NOV .13, 1913- .1 1 23,740. Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

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F. U. HESSE.

FOLDING CAMERA.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.13, 191s,

1,123,74=0. Patented Ja11.5, 1915.

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witnesses F. 0. HESSE. FOLDING CAMERA.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 13, 1913.

Patelited Jan 5, 1915.

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IVE-E FRANK C. HESSE, OF IPOIRTLAND, OREGON.

FOLDING CAMERA.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 5,1915.

Application filed November 13, 1913. Serial No. 800,836.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. Hnssn, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, having declared my intention and filed petition to become a citizen of the United States, residing at-Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 1n Folding Cameras; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to photography, and more especially to folding cameras; and the object of the same is to produce an inconspicuous, compact, and fully equipped camera which may be folded into extremely small space in simulation of a book, and yet will take a comparatively large picture when opened.

A. further object 'is .to provide means whereby the various folding parts are held in their folded condition in such manner that when released the entire camera flies open ready for instant use, so that a picture may be very quickly taken when occasion arises.

An important feature of the invention is the provision of a two-part lens, or rather lens casing, whereof the parts or members are adapted to lie side by side when the camera is folded and will therefore occupy but little space, but adapted to automatically as sume a coactive relation when the camera is unfolded.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following specification and claims, and as shown in the drawings wherein Figure leis a perspective view of this improved camera in its folded condition; Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale, showing the camera as opened and ready for use, excepting that the film pack and the lens glasses are omitted; Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on about the line 3.3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on a reduced scale, taken on aboutthe line 11 of Fig. 2-; Fig. 5 is a central vertical section through the camerawith the parts folded, and Fig. 6 is a left end elevation of the camera when so folded. Fig. 7 is a. vertical section on about the line 77 of Fig.3, taken when the camera is folded. Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of the front plate 'of the bellows.

Figs. 9 to 13 are. details of that form of my two-part lens which is shown in the preceding figures of the drawings; Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the lens when folded, and Fig. 10 a slightly enlarged section through it in this position, taken on the line 101O of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a section similar to Fig. 10, showing the first-movement of the movable part of the lens toward its final position, and Fig. 1-2 is a similar View showing said movable part in its final position in alinement with the fixed part of the lens. Fig-13 is a section through the fixed part of the lens, taken on the line 13-13 of Fig. 10, giving an elevation of the leaves in their folded condition. Fig. 14 is a front elevation of another form ofthis folding lens withits two parts or members in alinement; Fig. 15 is a similar elevation with the two parts open or out of alinement; and Fig.

1G is a horizontal section taken on about the line 16-16 of Fig. 14.

I may say at starting that no novelty whatever is claimed for the glass lens themselves, bellows,'shutter, plate holder or film pack (not shown), or finder, nor for the tripod, focus-adjusting means, or stop if the last-named three elements are used. I have found it necessary to illustrate some of these elements herewith, because with the object of producing a folding camera which will condense into extremelysmall space it may be necessary to shape the elements and dispose them in such way that they will fold into the casing of the camera, although I lay no claim to novelty in the elements themselves. In most folding cameras now on the market it is necessary to manipulate a number of catches, push buttons, hooks and eyes, and other fastening and un'fastening and adjusting means before the camera itself can be opened out ready to take a picture; and in most of such folding cameras it is then necessary to adjust or place the finder, set or focus the lens, and mount or steady the camera frame before an exposure can be made.

In sofar as possible I propose to make an extremely compact folding camera which when folded appears like a book as sug- .to take a picture, and the user has then but to press the proper button and the exposure is made. I have been able to build a working model which. is fourand threequarters by six and one-half inches in size and only one and three eighths inches thick, but which will take a picture two and one-. half by four and a quarter inches, and I find a picture of this size is sufficiently large for all ordinary-purposes as it can be enlarged if necessary to bring out greater detail. A folding camera of this size will house a high power lensand a focal plane shutter, and has a space at the back for a film pack, so that it will be seen that although the camera is' small it contains the a latest improvements in photography and is designed to dogood work and give satisfaction to its user.

Following out the idea that the folding camera will simulate a book, I would cover it with leather or cloth or make its exterior in imitation of the same, so that when folded the camera at a small distance will indeed give the casual observer the impression that he has seen nothing but a book. Photographers find that they are often excluded from places where they could take important pictures, because guards and door keepers have orders to exclude cameras,

. but with a little instrument of this character which could be carriedin the pocket .or under the arm it is quite possible that the photographer could take many picturesthat would be impossible to him bythe use of a folding camera which was too obviously a camera pure and simple.

The book-shaped casing of this improved camera is of sheet metal, and has a curved back 1 with a flat front cover 2 and a fiat rear cover 3, one of which is frame-- like as will yet be explained, a finder cover made in simulation of a clasp 4-. connecting the upper edges of said covers 2 and 3, and .a 'U-shaped plate 5 ornamented in imitation book.

edges beyond the U-shaped plate 5 as best. seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and inside said of the edges, and ends of the leaves of. a The cover plates project at three mally' to throw it outward and into open position, and at its upper edge it carries an extension 9 having a spring lip '10 at its upper extremity adapted to pass over the free edge of the finder cover. 4 when the parts are closed together-see Fig. 5. The

rear cover 3 is itself mounted on 'a'spring hinge 11 along its lower edge adapted to throw it upward and close against the rear side of the housing 6, and it is held closed by any suitable means such as the spring studs 12 engaging the sockets 13 as seen in Fig. 2. In this'iiosition it overlies and closes light-tight a pocket or chamber 14 in which is. to be placed the film pack (not shown), and the tabs'from the films project through an opening -15 in one end of the U- shaped plate as seen in Figs 1. Just forward of this pocket the housing 6 carries a. focal shutter herein broadly designated by the'letter S, and its details of construc- .tion form no part of the present invention and need not be amplified.

The film pack occupies about the' rear third of the casing, the focal shutter and its guides occupy about the central third thereof, and. the bellows B when folded occupy a portion of'the forward third thereof, permitting the lens L to underlie the front cover 2 as seen in Fig. 5.

Access to the,chamber 11 is gained by opening the rear door 3.

The adjustments of the various rollers and drums of the focal shutter I prefer to control by extending'their shafts or trunnions as seen at 16 in Figs. 1 and 7 and applying a key thereto when necessary; and the shaft of the roller which carries the spring is preferably also provided with a notched disk 17 whose notches are normally lies flush with the front cover .plate 2 but can be pushed inward by the ball of the -finger. The entire shutter is released for making an exposure by pressing on the knob 20, which by preference is similarly locatedin the cover 2 at a little higher point as seen in Fig. 1.-

The inner end of the bellows B is mounted within the housing 6, and its outer end is attached to a front plate 21 (best seen in Fig. 8) whose edges are bent forward and then rearward to produce channels 22, each channel having slots 23 and 24 along its inner and outer walls. Mounted in suitable bearings, within the housing 6 are two upright rock shafts 25, each turned normally outward by means of a spring as indicated at 26 in Fig. 2, and each shaft carries a pair of arms 27 which are so spaced andof such length'that they will fly out the opening ex posed by the front door 7 when the latter is opened. The outer ends of one pair of arms have inwardly projecting pins 28 traveling in the slots 23, and the outer ends of the other pair of arms have outwardly projecting headed pins 29 traveling in the other pair of slots 24. T he result of thisdetail of construction is that, with the parts properly I assembled and folded as seen in figure 5, when the front door 7 is opened the springs 26 cans the .two pairs of arms to fly outward a d their pins engaging the slots in the front plate 21 cause the latter to travel "out of and away from the casing as far as the length of said slots will permit-the reon a spring hinge '33 through its lower forward corner. The pintle of this hinge ex tends into cars 34 bent backward from the top cross bar 35' of the frame 2 which is bisected at its center as seen at 36 in figure 4 for this purpose; and when the front door 7 is closed its extension 9 closes the opening 36 as seen in Fig. 1.,

The frame member 32 carries cross wires 37 whose point of crossing should stand opposite the focal center of the lens 30 when the camera lens L is directed at the object to be photographed, as well understood with finders of this type. The entire finder is capable of being folded onto the top plate 5 as best seen in figure 5, and the finder cover 4 overlies it and holds these parts closed for the engagement of the lip 10 as seen in Fig. 1. When the front door 7 is opened to permit the extension of the bellows B, the removal of the lip 10 from above the cover 4 permits the latter to fly upward as it will do by reason of the normal tendency of the springs 31 and 33, and these springs'turn the lens upward and the frame upward while throwing back the cover 4 as seen in Fig. 2hence the opening of the front door 7permits the automatic expansion of the bellows and the automatic rise casing description which follows refers more to the tube-sections which contain the lens glasses than the other elements if they were used. The inner part or member 40 is mounted upon and connected directly to the front plate2l and within the curved end of a 41 which, as seen in Fig. 10, is a little taller than the thickness of this member. The outer or movable member 42 has an external configuration which duplicates that of the inner member 40 so that when the members are alinedas seen in Fig. 12,

they will both stand within the curved end of the casing '41 and theirglasses will be coaxial, but when the outer member is'moved aside and stands nearer the other end of the casing 41 as seen in Fig. 10, the entire thiclmess of the lens is only that of the lie said wall at the time it overlies the channels 22 of the front plate 21. I have shown on Sheet 4 of the drawings two means of moving the movable member 42 into positionover and in alinement with the fixed member 40, and will first describe that illustrated in Figs. 9 to 13 inclusive.

Overlying the front plate 21 and disposed within the casing to one side of'the' fixed member 40 are two leaves. One of these numbered 43 is mounted at its outer end on a spring hinge 44 tending to cause it to rise, and its bodyis provided with a large notch as indicated at 45 so that in effect it consists of littlemore than a pair of fingers projecting toward the .fiXed lens. The other leaf 46 is mounted at its inner edge on a spring hinge 47 tending to cause it to rise, and its body is of a width to stand within the large notch 45 in the first-named leaf, beyond which said body is continued in a finger 48 for a purpose yet to appear. These two leaves may therefore be folded down into a single plane as indicated in Figs. 10 and.,13, and their thickness is such that if the movable lens at this time overlies them it will not project beyond the upper edg: of the casing. The inner faces of the side walls of the casing 41 are provided with wide grooves 49 and narrow grooves 50 whose shape and extent is best seen in Figs. 10, l1, and 12, andwhose function is that yet to be described; the outer leaf is provided in its side edges with pins 51 engaging certain of said narrow grooves; and the sides of the outer lens member 42 are provided at proper points with large pins 52 mounted in the wide grooves 49, and with small pins 53 mounted in the narrow grooves 50. Beyond the rear end of or outside of the movable lens member 42, a spring 55 is mounted within the casing and exerts a constant tendency to push this member inward, or toward 1 the right in'Fig. 11.

With the parts properly assembled as seen in Figs. 9 and 10, the operation of this device will be as follows when the front door 7 is opened and the bellows is projected by the means already set forth: The withdrawal of all restraint overlying the outer lens member 42 permits the latter to be pushed forward (or upward as seen in Fig. 11) by the spring hinge 44 of the outer 7 55 will then cause the outer lens-member 42 to travel to the right from the position shown in Fig. llto that shown in Fig. 12.

During this travel it is assistedby the spring in the hinge 47 throwingthe finger 48 upward. The-small pins-'53 now travel from a to b at which time the large pins 52 will have reached the point 0. As the-wide grooves 49 terminate at that pointor rather merge into the small grooves 50 and large pins 52 can go no farther in that direction, they rise at the point c 'and move pastthe point 03 in Fig. 12. Meanwhile the small pins pass from the point I; to-the point e, and at this timethe large pins have reached thepoint and the outer member 42 is di rectly over the inner member of the lens.-

The inner leaf 4:6 is now upright, and the finger 48 at its outer .end will not interfere with the action of the lens. It is intended that the strength of the springs and the dlsposition of parts shall be such that this opening action of the lens will take place automatically as the bellows is shot open when the camera is unlatched. To close the lens in .closing the camera the operator pushes the movable member 42 to the left,

and its'pins return over the course described .to the position shown in-Fig. 10; then the user pushes the front plate and folds the bellows into the open cover-plate 2, closesthe front door 7 having meanwhile folded the finder F and closed down its cover plate 4:, and the engagement of the lip 10 over'the free edge of said cover 4: holds all parts in position as seen in; Fig. 1.

In Figsjl, 15, and 16 of the drawings is shown another construction of two-part lens which may well be employed in this im-- proved folding camera. Herein the-inner lens member 40 is connected directly-with the front plate 21, possibly as by screwing it thereto as at 21, and the outer lens member 42 isconnected to the inner member by a hinge 60 at one side, this hinge being of the spring type and the arms (il of the spring being preferably extended alongside the moi-able member :42 therewith as at 62-.

together as seen in Fig. 16, and-in order that they may make light-tight-conneetion' with each other I provide one .with a rib 63 and the other with a groove 64 shaped to conform with the shape of the rib as seenin Fig. 16. In order to check the inward movement of the outer member l9 and to prevent jar upon and injury to the glass of t he lens, I

preferably make use or a spring catch 65 at the SiflB of the fixed member 40, opposite said hinge. its t1p 66 rising past this-memher and being bent inward so as to fllc' tionally engage the freeedge-of the'movable member 42 when the latter is thrown to its f and, connected- The tendency of this. spring hinge is to throw the two members closed'position as seen, and this catchhas the additional function of holding the parts in this position until it is desired to close up the EcameraL 'In order; to make the outer member of as great length as possible; the face plate 21 may becut out as-at 67 so that the movable 'lens member 42' folds back into saidcut-out as seen in Fig. -15. "-I-Iere itis held only bythe'tensionof the spring ence mount either in the thick portion 40 or 4:0 of the lens, but this detail needs no elaboration. Nor will itbe necessary to go further into detail as to the construction, material, and proportions of parts, and in fact, thepossibilities of a camera :are. too well known-to need amplificationhere. As-

suggested above,however, I-ha-ve aimed toroduce a folding camera vwhich when olded-is inconspicuous and-compact, but which when it is'tobe :used can be unfoldedand its parts become automatically and instantaneously distended ready for instantv use when the operator makes e posure,'and

which camerais not a mere-toy, ut a highly efficient machine provided with a-highpower lens and a fast'shi tter operating directly in front of the-film. I

7 What 'is claimed as new is: I 1-. In a. folding cameraythe combination said opening,' a bellows secured at itsrear end within said casing and-having a'front plate atits outer end, and spring-actuated I u 0 I c I with a box-l1ke casing having an opening 1n its front plate, a hinged door for closing mechanism for distending said bellows when the'door is opened; of a two-part lens whereof one member is fixed to the frontplate of the bellows and the other member is movably connected with the fixed member and adapted -to be thrown into alinement therewith. i

2.In a folding camera, the combination with abox-likecasing having'a hinged rear cover-and a frame-like front cover and -a top plate beneath the upper edges of said cover plates, a front door hinged along its lower edge within the opening in said framelike cover and having'a lip at its upper end, a finder mounted upon said top plate, a

spring for throwing 'it' normally upward,

and a cover hinged to the rear cover-plate andadapted to overlie'said finder when folded andto be-engaged by said lip; of a.

bellows=whose inner end is secured within outer ends with said front two-part lens whereof one member is fixed to the front plate of the bellows and the other member is movably connected with the fixed member and adapted to be thrown into alinement therewith.

3. In a folding camera, the combination cover and a frame-like front cover and a top plate beneath the upper edges of said cover plates, a front door hinged along its lower edgeWithin the openingin said framelike cover and having a-"lip at its upper end,

a finder mounted upon said top plate, a

spring for-throwing it normally upward, and a.. cover hinged to the rear cover-plate and adapted to overlie said finder when folded and to be engaged by said lip; of a bellows whose inner end is secured'within said casing and whose-outer end carries a front plate," "arms pivotally connected at their inner ends with said casing and movably connected at their outer ends with said front plate, and a lens carried by the latter.

4. In a folding camera, the combination with a box-like casing having a hinged rear cover and a frame-like front cover whose top bar is cut away and bent to the rear in ears, and a top plate beneath the upper edges of said cover plates, a front door hinged along its lower edge withinthe opening in the front cover and having an extension at itsupper edge provided with a lip at its extremity, a finder mounted-on a spring hinge whose pintle is pivoted in said ears, the hinge tending to throw thefinder normally upward, and a cover pivoted to said rear cover-plate and adapted to overlie this finder when the latter is folded and to be engaged by said lip; of a bellows whose inner end is secured within said casing and whoseouter end carries a front plate, arms pivotally connected at their inner ends with said casing and movably connected at their plate, and a lens carried by the latter. I

v 5. In a camera, the combination with a book-shaped casing comprising a curved back, a frame-like front cover, a hinged rear cover, and a U-shaped edge'plate disposed between said covers, a housing within said casing-and having a film-pack chamber just forward of the rear cover plate, a shutter forward of said chamber, a front door hinged within the opening in the front cover, and means for holding the door closed; of a bellows whose inner end is secured Within said housing, whose body is adapted to be folded into the housing for-5 ward of said shutter, and whose front end carries a front plate, and a lens mounted on i the latter and adapted to be covered by said front door when closed.

6. In a folding camera, the combination with a book-shaped casing having a hinged door inits front cover plate, a housing within said casing having a chamber fora film pack, the rear plate of the casing being hinged to give access to said chamber, a focal shutter disposed within said casing, and actuating mechanism therefor leading to the exterior; of a bellows adapted-to be folded behind the front door of the casing, means for distending it when said door is opened, a lens carried on the front plate of said .bellows,',a folding finder hinged to the edge of said casing, means for throwing it normally into active position, and a finder; cover hinged .to the rear cover plate of the front door when the latter is closed.

7 In a folding camera, the combination casing and adapted to be held closed by said with the bellows having a front plate; and

a lens in two parts whereof-one part is secured to said plate and the other part movably connected with the first part, the second part being movable laterally to the ver tical plane of the first part for alinement therewith, means for throwing the movable part into axial alinement with the fixed part, and means for holding the parts in this position. 1

8. In a folding damera, the combination with the bellows having a front plate'fand a lens in two parts whereof one part is'carried by said plate andthe other part is movably connected with the first part, means for throwing the movable part into axial alinement with the fixed part, and a member carried by said front plate and extending alongside the fixed part and yieldingly engaging the movable part to hold the latter in such position.

' 9. A lens housing, a two-part lens whereof one member is fixedly mounted within one end of the housing, the side walls thereof having internal grooves, and the other member is movably mounted between said walls and has pins slidably engaging said grooves,

the latter being shaped topermit the movement of'this member into position in alinement with the fixed member.

10. A lens housing, a two part lens whereof one member is fixedly mounted in said housing, the side of the latter having internal grooves, the other lens member being movably mounted between said walls and having pins slidably engaging said grooves, said grooves being shaped to permit the movement of this member into positionin alinement with the fixed member; combinedwith a leaf beneath said movable member, and yielding means for normally raising said leaf and moving the pins of the movable lens-member along said grooves.

11. The combination with a lens housing,

and a lens-member fixed within said housing, the inner faces of the side walls of the housing having inclined grooves leading upward from their remote corners and over the fixed member; of a movable lens-memher having laterally projecting pins slidably engaging said grooves, and yielding means tending to slide this member into position in alinement with-said fixed member.

1 12. The combination with a plate, a lens- 'housing thereon,-and a fixed lens-member disposed within the housing, the inner faces of the side walls of said housing having inclined grooves leading upward from their remote corners and over the fixed member; s

of a movable lens-member having laterally projecting pins slidably engaging said grooves, a spring tending to move this member over: the fixed member, a U-shaped leaf hingedly connected with'said plate and underlying said movable member, and a sec- 0nd leaf hingedly connected with the plate v and lying between the arms of said first-' named leaf below said movable member, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses. FRANK o. HESSE.

Witnesses: 4

A DONALD M. GRAHAM,

M. CoLPrrrs. 

